The ‘healthy’ dental habit that destroys your thyroid

A huge body of recent research has proven that preventing gum disease can also prevent cancer, diabetes and more.

But be careful. There’s one thing you want to make sure you don’t overdo since it is linked to yet another debilitating health problem…

Every time you brush your teeth, there’s a 95% chance that you’re ingesting a substance that poses a threat to every system in your body.

Fluoride: never approved, yet widely used

Because of their toxicity, fluoride supplements have never been approved by the FDA.

Yet for over fifty years, fluoride has been added to many public water supplies in the United States and abroad in an attempt to reduce the incidence of tooth decay.

In fact, too much fluoride can actually damage the teeth, a condition called dental fluorosis, where the tooth enamel becomes stained and pitted. At least half of American adolescents show signs of this condition.

Over the course of this same half-century, research has been mounting that raises grave concerns about what amounts to the forced medication of thousands of people through their drinking water.

Abundant studies show that too much fluoride can cause neurological damage and osteoarthritic symptoms and can slow cognitive development.

But our endocrine system sustains some of the most far-reaching damage from ingesting too much fluoride. In particular, the effects on our thyroid gland can have consequences for every single organ system in our body.

Your thyroid on fluoride

Thyroid hormones regulate every system in our body: our metabolism, heart and digestive function, muscle control, brain development, mood and bone maintenance. Clearly, a damaged thyroid can have dire results.

Ingesting too much fluoride suppresses thyroid function, a condition known as hypothyroidism, or under-active thyroid. Symptoms of an under-active thyroid include:

• Depression
• hair loss
• slow heart rate
• fatigue
• weight gain
• sensitivity to cold.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that residents of communities in England whose water supply was fluoridated were nearly twice as likely to develop hypothyroidism as those with non-fluoridated water.

Left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to heart problems, joint pain, infertility, and obesity. In extreme cases, myxedema occurs. This is a life-threatening condition where body temperature drops rapidly.

The iodine-fluoride connection

Many doctors and researchers are calling iodine deficiency a public health crisis in the United States. More and more of us are not getting the amounts we need for proper thyroid function.

Iodine is a crucial nutrient for the production of thyroid hormone. Since we don’t manufacture iodine, we must get it from our diet. Seafood, dairy products, and eggs are good sources of iodine.

Insufficient iodine levels cause low thyroid function, and if you’re over-exposed to fluoride, it’s like getting a ‘double whammy’ that can suppress your thyroid to dangerously low levels.

It’s not just your water

Fluoride is so good at suppressing the thyroid, it was once prescribed to do just that.

Until the 1950s, doctors in Europe and South America prescribed between 2 mg. and 5 mg. of fluoride a day to reduce an overactive thyroid.

Since this amount is well within the 1.6 to 6.6 mg/day received by people living in communities with fluoridated water supplies, it’s pretty clear that fluoridated water can suppress thyroid function.

To avoid fluoride in your drinking water, use a reverse osmosis water filter on your taps. (Do not depend on bottled water; much of it comes from fluoridated municipal water supplies).

But fluoridated water is just the beginning. You may very well be exposing yourself to these other sources of fluoride:

Toothpaste. The FDA actually requires a poison warning on fluoride toothpastes. Swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can induce fluoride poisoning in small children, or even kill them. Choose a toothpaste without fluoride.

Mouthwash. Although mouthwash is not normally swallowed, many still contain high levels of fluoride. Read your labels, or use a safer alternative.

Tea. Yes, tea. The tea plant is known to absorb fluoride from soil easily. So if you’re a heavy tea drinker, you might want to cut down a little or change up your tea…

A 2004 study by the Department of Tea Science at Zhejiang University found that teas made from younger leaves, such as white tea, have far less fluoride than teas made from older leaves.

Medications. Cipro is the best example. It’s used to treat urinary, kidney and other infections, and contains a carbon-fluorine bond which can break down in the body.

Nonstick cookware. While Teflon has been banned, the substitute is no better. Perfluorooctanoic acid is a poisonous substance now used in non-stick cookware. Avoid it at all costs!

How to detox from fluoride

Eat an alkaline diet. Studies show that your kidneys’ ability to expel fluoride is dependent upon the pH of your urine. At a pH of 5.5, they clear only about 5%. Raise that to a 7.6 pH and 65% of fluoride in the blood is removed.

Raw fruits and vegetables help your body to maintain an alkaline pH balance.

Eat brazil nuts. They are high in selenium, which supports thyroid health. While it won’t remove fluoride, it can only help your thyroid.

Try tamarind tea. While it can be hard to find, the tender tamarind leaves used in this tea have been shown to remove fluoride from the body.

Consider a natural toothpowder made with bentonite clay, or try this simple recipe to make your own.